


Different Point of View

by MissMoMo1990



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2003)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-04-10
Updated: 2015-11-15
Packaged: 2018-03-22 04:00:08
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 21
Words: 7,479
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3714145
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MissMoMo1990/pseuds/MissMoMo1990
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Donnie and Mikey's thoughts during one of Raph and Leo's infamous fights. Spin-off series to Point of View.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Again

Okay, next step.

Pipet five milliliters of 3N hydrochloric acid into the flask…

Done.

Then dilute to volume with water…

Just a little bit more…aaaaaaaaaand….there. Perfect.

Now mix by inverting for approx-…

_SLAM!_

Gah!

Towel! Towel! Towel!

No! Not my notes! Ahh!

Who in the heck is slamming doors now?! I swear Splinter is the only one besides me who is capable of closing a door properly. Everyone else just bangs them shut. No consideration for the other people who live here.

…ugh. The ink's all blotchy, I can't read what I wrote. They're completely ruined. Great. Well, at least the flask didn't break.

Sounds like Raph's screaming his head off about something. I'm betting he found that fake bug that Mikey left in his room. I told that chucklehead not to do it or he'd regret it. Give it twenty seconds and he'll come running in here expecting me to protect him from Raph. Yeah, right. Like I'm going to put myself in the path of  _that_  tornado. Seriously, how many times does Mikey have to get his shell kicked before he learns to leave Raph alone?

Okay, looks like I've managed to wipe it all up. I need to remember to wash this towel later.

Wait a minute…I don't hear Mikey out there…Raph's screaming at Leo…who is screaming right back.

Oh, for the love of…what are they fighting about now?! Something stupid, no doubt.

Hmm…where did I put that other notebook? Aha! There it is.

I guess it's only bad if Raph starts cursing.

Now where's that…stopwatch! Found it!

Yep, it's a bad fight.

And my pen…here!

They've moved on to the name-calling.

Let's see if I can find a blank page…um…here we go. Today's date is March sixth…

_SLAM!_

Well, one of them left. Probably Raph. Hmph, I'm kind of surprised they didn't start swinging at each other.

My six looks more like a "u"…I'll cross it out and try…

_SLAM!_

…again.

Ugh, those two.


	2. Interesting

Don't go down that hallway….

I'm telling you… Do NOT go down that hallway!

Dude, the serial killer is at the end waiting for you! DO NOT….argh!

Why are people in horror movies so dumb?! Yeah, let's walk through the dark creepy hallway because we thought we heard voices! There's no way some crazed wacko would be standing there with a bloody axe, wanting to kill us all!

Turn back, turn back, turn back! Come on, turn back before it's too late!

He's gonna get you! He's gonna chop your head off!

Run, man! Ru-….AHHHH! Shell!

Well, he's a goner.

Kinda like this popcorn. Hmmm…I should go make some more…

Where did I put the remote so I can pause this? Huh. I thought I left it on the back of the couch. Maybe it fell down in the cushions…digging, digging…yes! Found it!

_I don't know what the hell yer problem is, Leo, but I'm gettin' real sick of putting up with yer shit!_

Uh-oh.

_You think I'm the one with the problem?!_

Sounds like Raph and Leo are at it again. Man, don't those two ever get tired of fighting? I wonder what it's about this time. Probably something stupid.

_I think ya got yer head shoved so far up yer ass ya can't even tell night from day anymore!_

Eh, forget the popcorn. I'll wait until they're done arguing. Maybe if I turn the volume up I won't have to hear them.

_That is not-…._

One more notch for good measure. There we go.

Okay, what happened to the serial killer guy? Wait, why did they go to the barn? And…I thought the dude's girlfriend was dead?! I missed something here. Rewind!

_Well, since yer such a gaddamn perfect leader, why don't ya figure it out already?!_

Seriously?! How can they be louder than this?!

_I am trying, Raphael! You are not making this easy for me!_

Movie ruined. Thanks, guys. Guess I'll just go to my room instead.

_Why the hell should I? Yer always riding my ass!_

Of course they'd be standing in front of my door. Great. No way am I even going to try and slip around them. I'm not getting caught in the middle of this.

_I wouldn't have to if you would learn to listen for once and stop being so damn stubborn!_

Man, they're right up in each other's faces. Don't they know what personal space is?

_So sorry ta disappoint ya, Fearless! I obviously ain't worthy enough ta be in yer presence! I'll be leaving now!_

Dramatic much, Raph?

_You are not going anywhere!_

Ooo, he's making a fist… Leo's taking up a defensive stance….and…

_The hell I'm not!_

…Raph's walking away…?

_Raphael! Do not leave this lair!_

_…_ what?!

_Fuck you, Leo!_

He's just going to go pout in his room?!

_Raph!_

He didn't even try to hit Leo…that's interesting…


	3. Listen

Bless you, Mikey. Nothing beats waking up to freshly brewed pot of coffee. You're the only other person I trust enough to make it. Sensei gets confused by all the buttons. Raph always leaves a mess. And Leo has an uncanny knack for breaking nearly every appliance he touches.

Speaking of whom…

Leo looks awfully upset this morning. There are bags under his eyes, too. He was probably half the night thinking about his fight with Raph. If he lost sleep over it, then that means it's a lot worse than what I originally thought…hmm…and he's barely touched any of food…another sign that something is seriously wrong.

And then there's Raph…passively aggressively eating his breakfast. I'm surprised he hasn't bent his fork in half yet. Or chucked it at Leo. Raph looks like he's dying to do just that.

I think the only thing stopping him is the fact that Master Splinter's here. Judging by his posture, I'd say that Sensei knows what's up between those two. Well, at least Leo's version of it.

I don't like this. The tension in the room is thick enough to cut. Even Mikey's attempt at livening things up isn't working.

Seriously, why can't these to learn to use their words instead of…

Oh boy. Raph's making  _that_  sound.

I give it 3…2…1…

Yep. There he goes. Off to rage and pout no doubt.

Definitely not good.

I catch Leo's eye. The expression on his face tells me that he needs to talk to someone who will actually listen. A nod is all he needs from me to know that I'll meet him in the lab.

…I'm going to need more coffee.


	4. Normal

So Leo and Raph aren't speaking to each other right now. That's perfectly normal after one of their fights.

The fact that they're actually in a room together after one of their fights…not so normal. There's no way they made up already. It's only been about six hours since their screaming match and, judging by what they were saying, I'm thinking that this fight could go on for days.

I'm kinda surprised that Raph isn't busy destroying his punching bag. And I expected Leo to be shut up in his room doing boring meditation or whatever it is he does in there for hours on end. He could be knitting sweaters for all I know. It's hard to tell with Leo.

Nope, they're both here at the kitchen table.

They must have been drawn here by my awesome cooking skills. I make some pretty awesome meals if I do say so myself. Look at Raph chowing down and Leo…

…dude! You're supposed to eat what's on your plate, not just poke at it with your fork!

Ugh!

Why do you always starve yourself whenever you and Raph are fighting? That's not good for you! Food gives you energy which you'll need for the fist fight I'm sure you'll get into with Raph later.

Idiots.

Instead of sitting there both trying to win a staring contest you two ought be talking things out. I don't get why that's so hard for you guys. Especially since you're so much alike. You might realize that if you'd learn to listen to each other.

Oy, this silence is depressing. Time for me to liven the atmosphere. Hmm…what to talk about….

Ooo! The Justice Force comic is getting a new spin-off! I heard it's supposed to really good! Fans are blowing up the internet forums and…

_Growling._

Aw, come on, Raph! Not at the breakfast table! You can pounce on Leo later…wait, that sounded wrong…I mean, you can fight Leo later! Finish you eggs…

…or get up and walk away.

Okay then. Someone want to pass me the salt?

 


	5. Try

Okay now, what did you want to…

_Raph and I had a fight…_

…talk about, Leo? Sigh. Yes, I think it's pretty obvious you had a fight with Raph. Again.

Well, keep going. You talk, I'll listen.

… _it started the other night…_

It didn't end the other night. That's for sure.

_…and of course he blames me…_

Of course he does. Just like you blame him. Personally, I think you're both at fault.

_…I mean, why can't he just apologize?..._

He's probably waiting for you to apologize since he feels that you wronged him.

_…he's just so damn stubborn!..._

And you're not?

_….and he never listens! All he ever does is yell and argue!..._

This surprises you?

_…I don't understand why he has to be like that!..._

Because that's the Raph we know and love. But I won't deny that he could use an attitude adjustment.

_…what am I supposed to do with him, Donnie? I can't control him…_

Don't act like you have to control him. That's where a good majority of his anger comes from. Raph needs a lot of breathing room and you crowd his space too much, too often.

_…he doesn't respect me at all…_

Yes, he does, Leo. It's buried deep, deep down, inside him. And I know you'll find it hard to believe, but he also loves you. You're his brother, after all.

… _Sensei thinks this is my fault, too…_

Don't beat yourself up over what Sensei said. He is way too hard on you. I can tell your overstressed, Leo….

… _he said I need to fix this…_

You need to relax, let your mind and body recalibrate before you try to fix anything between you and Raph.

_…but I don't know how. Maybe…do you think you could try talking to Raph? He listens to you more than anybody else._

I'll try, Leo.

But no promises that it will do any good.


	6. Miss

I miss Raph.

He always neglects me whenever he's mad at Leo. Heck, the ceiling could be collapsing on his head and he wouldn't notice because he'd be too focused on trying to win whatever dumb argument he and Leo have going on.

It's Friday. Tonight is supposed to be videogame night.

Me versus Raph…mano a mano….with an endless supply of caffeine and junk food to keep us going all night long…and loser does the winner's chores for a week.

We've had this planned since Tuesday.

But it's probably not going to happen now.

Especially not after Raph got chewed out by Master Splinter. That only makes his bad mood worse. I can't quite blame him for that though. No one likes getting lectured by Sensei.

Raph's been in the dojo ever since he came storming out of Splinter's room. He's probably taking his rage out on the punching bag. Assuming of course that he didn't slash that up, too.

When I peeked in there earlier I saw that he had destroyed one of the practice dummies. The poor thing's guts were scattered all over the tatami mats.

Raph better not try to blame that on Klunk! My cat is well disciplined!

...most of the time.

I hope those two make up soon so I can hang out with Raph again.

Can't talk to him 'cause he's ignoring everybody.

Can't prank him 'cause he'll probably beat the snot out of me imagining my face is Leo's.

Blah. I'm so bored! I need entertainment!

Ooo! Leo finally left the lab!

I'll go see if Donnie can amuse me! I bet he's got some super cool new gadgets I could mess around with! Heheheheh!


	7. Approach

What Leo can't seem to comprehend is that you have to read Raph in order to know how to approach him. You can't just march up to him and demand a civil conversation. That's like throwing water on a grease fire. Instead of putting out the flames, you cause an explosion.

And woe to anyone within range of an exploding Raphael.

The guide to understanding Raph is actually fairly simple.

Sometimes…okay, a lot of the time…the smartest choice is to leave him alone. Say, for example, this morning when he was throttling the practice dummy in the dojo. You probably shouldn't pick that exact moment to start chewing him out for something you think he did wrong. Nor is it wise to criticize his actions when he's got a weapon in hand. You may very well end up seeing what your own blood looks like.

If he's sitting somewhere…most likely swinging in his hammock….quietly brooding you might get him to speak. But only if you beat around the bush a little bit. Ease the issue into the conversation. Don't launch right into a lecture or he'll clam up. Or, worse, become combative.

If he tells you he doesn't want to talk, that is your cue to go. Continue bothering him and he'll swat you like a pesky fly that's been buzzing around his head for too long. And we all know that he has absolutely no mercy for insects.

If he answers you with silence, he has decided to ignore you. Turn around and walk away. You may even want to run. His fuse is burning and he could explode any second.

Ultimately, your best option is to let him come to you. That is the most obvious indication that he is willing to talk. Do not ruin this opportunity or it will be a long time before he ventures in your direction again.

But if you absolutely have to talk to Raph….

…good luck finding him.

He sure is elusive when he wants to be.

Where in the heck did he go?

Hmmm, I haven't checked the garage yet…

He knows that Splinter has us grounded, but when has that ever stopped him? Whatever thrill he gets from going topside must far outweigh the consequences of disobeying Sensei.

And look at that, he's revving up his motorcycle.

Hey, Ra-….

Oh, forget it. There's no way he can hear me.


	8. Situation

Okay, since Donnie kicked me out of his lab, I've had plenty of time to think about what happened between Leo and Raph. Here's what I've been able to put together about the situation so far:

Yesterday morning at breakfast, everyone was in a good mood…

…well…relatively good...Raph and Donnie have never been morning people so they weren't exactly rays of sunshine, but…anyways…

Yesterday morning at practice, Splinter paired us off to spar with each other and for some crazy reason he put Raph and Leo together. I don't know why he does it. It never ends well and feelings get hurt.

This time Leo lost because, as he put it, "That was a dirty trick and you know it, Raphael!"

To which Raph replied, "Don't be such a goddamn sore loser, Fearless!"

Then Splinter intervened and basically told them to accept the outcome of the match and move on.

Fast forward to yesterday evening at supper.

Leo is still sulking. Raph is still gloating. But neither one said anything to the other. Probably because Splinter was still in ear shot.

After everyone was done eating, Raph waltzed out of the kitchen and Leo sped out after him. I got stuck with dish duty so I couldn't see where they went or hear whatever they might've said.

I finally got done cleaning the kitchen, I walked out to the living room and they were both sitting on the couch watching TV and everything seemed to be okay. And by okay I mean they weren't making snide comments or hitting each other. I went off to my room to read comics to kill time until the monster movie marathon started. No way was I going to watch Raph's dumb cop show.

When I came back out an hour later, both of them were gone. I didn't question it because them being gone meant that I wouldn't have to beg for the remote and I'd been looking forward to watching those movies for a week. I guess I just assumed that they had gotten over their little tizzy fit and gone off to do their own thing.

Halfway through movie three, they both come down from the garage screaming at each other. And things have only gotten worse today.

I wonder where they went last night.

But maybe I'm better off not knowing.


	9. Obsessive

It's rare that you can actually hear Master Splinter through his shoji without holding your ear to it. Probably about…nine times out of ten…those instances involve Raph. I swear he must be trying to increase those odds since he's landed himself in Sensei's room yet again.

By the way things sound, Raph's really in for it now. He's going to be in there for a while.

I hope he's not stupid enough to talk back to Splinter this time. You'd think four hours of katas and being grounded for five weeks would have taught him his lesson, but punishment hardly ever seems to correct Raph's behavior. If anything, it makes him all the more rebellious.

He's like a naughty little kid who thinks it's funny when dad gets mad and tries to punish him so he does exactly what he was told not to do.

I can imagine the grin he must be trying to suppress right about now. That cocky, I-don't-give-a-damn, challenging grin he wears so often.

The one that makes Leo go absolutely ballistic.

It's interesting to see the effect that Raph has on Leo and vice versa. Whenever one of them does something, be it good or bad, big or small, it always impacts the other in some way, shape, or form.

The way they act…it's like….like they're utterly obsessed with one another.

They certainly display obsessive behavior...

Leo always wants to know where Raph is, who he's with, and when he'll be home…

Raph is constantly demanding that Leo share what his opinion of him really is…

They're both preoccupied with each other's perceived shortcomings…

I've heard them both threaten to leave the other behind and for good…

But then when they actually are getting along, they spend almost all of their time together and they enjoy each other's company - talking, laughing, and sparring like they've been best friends forever.

A Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde kind of relationship.

I just hope it doesn't end like the story.

 


	10. Witnesses

Everyone is always getting on Raph about his poor attitude and short temper. But you know what? Leo can be just as bad as Raph. Sometimes even worse.

I was just trying to cheer Leo up, help take his mind off things, get him to stop pacing the floor over his little spat with Raph. And what does he do? Yells at me to mind my own business and to leave him alone.

Well, excuse the shell out of me! Sheesh, what a grouch!

He has no problem venting to Donnie, but clams up whenever I offer to lend a sympathetic ear. Why can't Leo ever open up to me? I'm a good listener when I want to be! I can give good advice! Just because I like to joke around and goof off doesn't mean I can't ever have a serious conversation with someone!

I'm so underappreciated around here…

…wait, I know somebody who loves me!

Oh, Kluuuuuuuuuuuuuunk!

Klunk! Where are you?

Here, kitty, kitty, kitty!

_Meow._

Klunk! There you are! Hiding under the couch again, huh? What's so fascinating about being under there anyway?

Ew! You've got dust bunnies stuck all over you! Come on, I better get you cleaned up before Master Splinter sees you and flips…

_Meow._

Hey! Klunk, get back here!

No, no, no! Don't go in the dojo! Raph's in there! Klunk!

_Meow._

Ha! I caught you, you sneaky little furball! Now, c-…

_Raphael! Put down those stupid weights and talk to me right now!_

….oh, Leo's in here, too…

_I ain't got nothing ta say ta ya, Splinter Junior! Now leave me the fuck alone!_

Why am I not surprised to see that they're still fighting?

_I'm not going anywhere until you talk to me!_

…yikes. Come on, Klunk….

_Dammit, Leo!_

…we definitely don't want to be witnesses to what's about to go down in here.

_Meow._


	11. Breaks

I swear everything electronic around here breaks at the same time.

Of course, if certain people would learn to stop messing with stuff that I've told them more than once to leave alone I'm sure a good majority of the problems wouldn't exist. Why Mikey feels the need to touch every button he sees is beyond me. Maybe a little shock therapy would put an end to that habit.

Hmmm…now where did I put that to-do list? Aha! There it is! Alright, let's prioritize this.

Mikey's gamedude…broken again after I just fixed it for him…yeah, that's definitely moving to the bottom.

Microwave isn't working properly…well, that's more important than Mikey's gamedude.

The toaster's broken, too….Leo must have tried his hand at cooking again…I can fix that and the microwave at the same time.

Garage door keeps getting stuck ….can't risk that not closing properly….I can tackle that first…I should probably check all the remote openers for the garage while I'm at it.

Light in the bathroom keeps flickering….that's second.

Mikey's hoverboard…seriously, what is he doing with his stuff that I have to keep fixing it?! I'm not touching it until everything else is done!

The speaker in Raph's shell cell keeps malfunctioning…maybe that needs to be second and the bathroom light can be…

_Donatello!_

What the shell?! Was that Leo? It sounds like he's in the dojo…

_Donatello!_

I'm coming! I'm coming!

What's the matter, Leo? Is someone…

…hurt?

Raph! My god, what happened to you?! Why are you puking blood?!

He can't even talk properly. He's too busy coughing.

Breathe through your nose, Raph…just breathe…stay calm and breathe…

Leo! What happened to Raph?!

Answer me, dammit! Why are you just standing there staring?!

…they're both covered in cuts and bruises…those two idiots have been fighting each other again! I can't believe Leo would let it go this far!

Come on, Raph. Let's get you up and into the infirmary.

I said into the infirmary! You are not going to fight me over this! You will lose! Got it, mister?!


	12. Scrub

I could count on one hand the numbers of times I've heard Donnie yell.

One…that day Raph and I were playing Frisbee in the lair and Raph totally missed the catch and the Frisbee ended up flying into Donnie's work area and knocked a whole bunch of papers to the floor. He was so stressed out over trying to find a cure for Sydney and her friends in the Underground City that he flipped and yelled at us to leave him alone.

Two…uh…two…two…two…hmmm….

Okay. I can only remember one time. The point is, Donnie doesn't yell unless he's really provoked. So the fact that he just spent about five minutes screaming at Leo means he's really upset.

Can't say I really blame him. I saw Donnie half walk and half carry Raph out of the dojo. Raph looked like he got hit by a bus. A bus named Leonardo judging by what I heard Donnie say... I mean…scream.

Seriously, Raph's face was almost unrecognizable from all the swelling and the blood. He kept clutching at his ribs like they were broken. And even though it was obvious he was in a lot of pain, he kept trying to shrug Donnie off and act like it was no big deal.

Which made Donnie yell at him, too. All the way to the medical bay.

I don't know how all the shouting hasn't managed to wake Master Splinter up yet. He must be a heavy sleeper. Or maybe Sensei hears it and is just ignoring it.

Shell, I sure wish I would have. I should have just kept playing my video games, but no. I had to let my curiosity get the better of me. Now, instead of blowing up alien ships, I'm standing in the doorway of the dojo viewing the bloody aftermath of a Leo vs. Raph Ultimate Faceoff.

I don't know who won and I don't really care. If you'd ask me, I'd say Leo and Raph both lost.

This stupid fighting needs to stop already.

Because I don't want to walk into a room and see Leo frantically trying to scrub blood off the floor ever again.


	13. Bruised

_Damn it, Don! That fucking hurts!_

I know it hurts, Raph. Stop fighting me so that I can figure out why it hurts.

_Son of a…! Quit it already!_

Just let me take a look! I can't do that if you keep pushing me away!

_I don't need ya ta take a look! I'm fine! Now let me go!_

Glare and growl at me all you want! I'm not letting you leave! Now you sit down and do not move again until I say that you can, got it?!

…wow, he caved fast. It's usually a struggle to convince Raph that he needs to get doctored up. This time he relents the second I raise my voice.

That's definitely out of character for Raph. But then again…it's out of character for me to yell at him. Which probably explains that surprised look on his face.

Well, I'm sorry, Raph. I guess I'm just a tad bit upset about seeing you like this and you trying to play it off like it's no big deal. Blood is supposed to be inside your body, not out side of it. Now will you just hold still while I check out your ribs.

_…fuck…hurry up, would ya?_

Can't really make this process go faster, Raph. Not if you want me to do a proper job. Hang in there a bit longer.

…hmm…none of your ribs seem to be broken…

_Peachy._

…at the very least they're bruised. So you're going to have to be out of commission for a while until they can heal properly. I know you're going to hate this, but I'm giving you pain meds…

… _I don't want that crap…_

…a mild dose because otherwise you're night is going to be pure misery and you won't get any sleep. You're also going to put ice on your ribs…

_…what the hell for?..._

…to bring the swelling down. That takes care of your ribs. Now for the rest of you…

…I just…I just can't believe that all these cuts and bruises are from Leo. I'm mean, sure, you guys have tussled plenty of times in the past, but…I'd expect this kind of damage from a scuffle on the streets. Not one inside the lair.

Maybe it's none of my business, Raph, but I have to ask:

What in the shell is happening between you two?


	14. Hurricane

Tell a joke…don't tell a joke…

Say something…keep my mouth shut…

Look at Sensei…stare down at the floor…

Aw, shell, I don't know what to do! This is so dang awkward! It sucks!

Stupid Leo and Raph are making me feel like I did something wrong. I swear Master Splinter popped a blood vessel when those two showed up for morning practice looking like they had the snot beat out of them. I've never seen him look this mad before. It's actually kind of scary. We've been kneeling here for at least five minutes waiting for him to say something, but he hasn't done anything except stand there glaring at Leo and Raph.

It's so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

_Donatello. Michelangelo. You are both dismissed._

You don't have to tell me twice! It's all I can do to keep from running to the living room. Don's matching me step for step. He must be pretty eager to leave, too.

Phew! Thank the gods! I feel like I just barely escaped the fury of a hurricane.

I don't envy Leo and Raph, but I don't feel sorry for them either. Those two had it coming. You'd have thought they would have learned their lesson by now.

Well, I'm not going to waste my time waiting around here. I'm sure Splinter will be lecturing them for a while. There are better things I could be doing. Like eating breakfast!

Come on, Donnie. I'm sure you haven't eaten for a while.

_So how much trouble do you think they're in this time, Mikey?_

On a scale of one to ten, I'd say about a thousand.

Is Raph going to be okay? I saw you hauling him into the medical bay last night.

_Well, he's pretty banged up, but he's survived worse. As long as he takes it easy and gets plenty of rest he should heal pretty fast._

Raph take it easy? You know that's not gonna happen, right?

_I know…I was just trying to be optimistic._

Being optimistic takes a lot of work, dude. Believe me.


	15. Warned

I want to feel sorry for them…

…but I don't.

They were warned not to behave like this, but they didn't listen.

They were told to apologize, but they didn't try.

They were punished, but they didn't care.

And they were given plenty of second chances, but they didn't use them.

Raph and Leo deserve anything and everything that Master Splinter's got coming for them now.

Unfortunately, it looks like I'm going to get a share of this lecture. Again.

Why do Mikey and I always have to suffer because those two idiots can't figure out how to play nice with each other? It's not fair! There are a million other things I could be doing right now! How can I be expected to get them done if I have to sit here and get lectured for something that has nothing to do with me?

_Donatello. Michelangelo. You are both dismissed._

…seriously? Did I hear him correctly?

Sensei's pointing towards the door and Mikey's getting to his feet so I better get out before I wake up from this dream.

_Phew! We totally just dodged a bullet there, Don._

Yeah, no kidding.

_Dude, I don't know about you, but I'm starving. Let's go eat breakfast._

…alright. I've already wasted this much time. I might as well spend a few minutes fueling up for the day.

You know, I'm happy to be out of the dojo, but for some reason I can't help but be curious about what's going on in there. Master Splinter has got to be at his wit's end with those two. I probably would have given up on them long ago.

_How bad did Leo hurt Raph last night? He looked like he was in a lot of pain._

Raph will be okay. Physically, anyways. He knows how to take a beating. Mentally? I can't even begin to imagine what kind of damage he's suffering in that regard.


	16. Magnets

            I don’t get it, Donnie.

            You and I get along just fine.

            We both get with Raph and Leo just fine.

            Well, you probably get along with them better than I do. I play too many pranks on Raph and slack off too much for Leo’s liking. But that’s not to say I don’t ever hang out with Raph or Leo! I do stuff with them every now and again!

            …anyway, what I’m getting at is Raph and Leo can get along with everyone except each other.

            I know you get tired of talking about them, Donnie, but they’ve got me seriously worried this time. What are they acting like this?

            _Well, you know those two have always been highly competitive…_

            Yeah, but is this really just a case of two alpha males battling it out for dominance? It’s not like they fight all the time. We’ve seen them hang out together before. I mean, I highly doubt that they fake being nice to each other.

            _I would never say that Leo and Raph hate each other because I know that’s not true. Maybe…maybe it’s their commonality that puts them at odds. They’re like a pair of magnets. Every magnet has a north and south pole. If you place the same poles of two different magnets near each other, they’ll repel each other._

…so...Leo and Raph don’t have their poles lined up right? God, that sounds wrong…

            _No, Mikey…what I mean is…_

            Heheheheh. I made Don face-palm.

            Hey, I get what you mean, bro, but why do you always have to use science analogies? Next time you should try using something that I’m an expert on like videogames or comic books or whatever.

            Well, if we’re going to compare them to magnets…do you think we should trying helping them out so they stop repelling each other? Or should we keep our noses out of it?

            _I don’t know, Mikey. I want to help them out. I really do. But if they can’t even listen to each other, why would they bother listening to us?_

Good point, man. 


	17. Instinct

**WARNING: This chapter contains suggested TCest. Read at own risk.**

I've been trying to work on the garage door for almost an hour now.

All I've managed to accomplish has been to open up my toolbox and take out a wrench and screwdriver.

My mind keeps wandering to Raph and Leo. I don't know why though. Their petty fights are of no real interest to me. They drag up the same issues over and over and over. Listening to them is just a boring waste of time.

So why do I care so much about this fight?

Maybe because it's the worse one I've ever seen by far.

Maybe because I'm trying to understand what happened between them and I can't.

Raph and Leo didn't always behave like this. They were practically inseparable when we were kids. Anyone could have seen that they had a special bond between them.

One that apparently shattered around the time we reached our thirteenth birthday.

…but is their fighting a result of puberty or "animal instinct"?

I know from the research I've collected that red-eared slider are notoriously territorial turtles. The males especially will show aggression when competing for food or mates which is true of nearly every animal species.

So, let's assume for a moment that animal instinct is the ultimate underlying cause that's driving Leo and Raph's urge to fight. What exactly would they be competing for?

The lair is spacious enough that they aren't constantly rubbing elbows.

We have plenty of food.

There are no females to impress.

And then there's the fact that Raph and Leo are only aggressive towards each other. They've never displayed such open hostility towards Mikey or me...

Well…actually…Raph will bite anyone's head off when he's in a mood and he'll beat the snot out of Mikey for pulling a prank on him…but the only person I've seen him intentionally pick a fight with is Leo.

So what's the attraction?

I know Mikey likes to joke that Raph and Leo have the hots for each other and both are in denial…

…I guess that's a possibility. I don't really see a romantic interest between those two, but Mikey picks up on stuff like that better than I do. He's also prone to eavesdropping and spying so maybe he heard or saw something that makes him think that way.

Even if that was true about them, who am I to judge?

Raph may very well be exactly what Leo needs and vice versa.

I just hope they can figure things out and soon. For all our sake.


	18. Dojo

I didn't think was possible, but it turns out you can hear Leo and Raph screaming at each other through the walls of the dojo. Well, you have to be standing by the door if you want to understand them, but still, that's impressive.

Actually…it's kind of sad…

A person must have a lot of rage inside them to be able to yell that loud. And from the sound of things, Leo is just as peeved as Raph.

_Raphael! Listen to me!_

_No! It's yer turn ta listen Fearless!_

Geeze, you'd think their voices would give out from all that shouting. They must have some special mutant power that allows them to keep doing it. Or maybe it's an alpha thing. Who knows?

_I am not going to fight with you anymore, Raph!_

_Yer sure as shit are asking for one!_

What was Master Splinter thinking when he locked those two idiots in here? If he expected Raph and Leo to make nice just because they're shut in a room together, I'd say he's gonna be reeeeeeally disappointed. In fact, this may have made things worse. Now there's no one to stop them from killing each other.

_Ya call that a punch, ya fucking wuss?! Let me show ya how it's done!_

Which is apparently the one goal on their agenda.

…yep, they're definitely trading blows again. I can hear that, too.

How can Raph even move after the beating he took last night? Seriously, what is that turtle made of? Maybe all those Cheerios he eats makes him immortal.

_I said stand down, Raph!_

Pffffft. Yeah, Leo, that command has worked on Raph so well in the past. Maybe this time he'll obey.

_Michelangelo!_

Ahh! Sheesh, Master Splinter, you almost gave me a heart attack!

_What are you doing over there?_

…um…nothing…

_Well then, since you have nothing to do except loiter around, I would like for you to clean the bathroom._

Awwwwww! Really?

_Yes, and please be thorough about it._

…yes, Sensei.

Dang it! This is so not fair!

I'm the well-behaved child! Why am I being punished?!


	19. Elephant

Boy, this has got to be the most awkward meal I've ever had to sit through.

No Leo.

No Raph.

Mikey is dead quiet.

And Master Splinter is visibly upset.

Nobody really feels like eating. We're all just picking at our plates.

Apparently we're not going to talk about the elephant in the room though I can see that Mikey is dying to ask Sensei about it.

What's happening between Leo and Raph? Are they in big trouble? Are they going to have to stay in the dojo all night? Do you think they'll make up for real this time?

That's what Mikey would want to know, but not to be nosy. He's genuinely concerned about those boneheads and for good reason.

Our brothers have been locked inside the dojo for the last nine hours. Alone and unsupervised. After they nearly beat each other to death last night.

I imagined that they'd be too tired to do anything except sit and glare at one another…maybe exchange a few insults but otherwise remain quiet.

But then Mikey told me that he heard them screaming and fighting in there earlier.

Darn it, those two! I can only imagine what kind of state their bodies are in now. They're probably covered in a dozen more bruises and bleeding all over the place again. I told Raph that he was supposed to move as minimally as possible! He's going to damage himself beyond repair one of these days! Oh, I am so going to give that big oaf an earful…

_Master Splinter?_

Really, Mikey? Are you really going to question him?

_Yes, Michelangelo?_

You know what? Go for it, little bro. Just don't expect him to give you an answer that you'll like.

_Do you think we should go check on Raph and Leo? To make sure they're okay? They've been in the dojo for ages and they've been quiet for a while now._

Splinter's stroking his beard…that means he's thinking hard…

_Perhaps that would be wise.. Come, my sons. We will all go._


	20. Evidence

Man, Master Splinter looks super bummed. And tired. I don't think he's been sleeping very well since this fight began and it's been dragging on for days now.

Guess I never realized just how much of a toll one of Raph and Leo's squabbles takes on Sensei. I'm starting to wonder if he locked them in the dojo because he didn't know how else to deal with them at this point.

Still, I can't believe he's left them in there this long. I figured he'd at least check on them throughout the day to see if they were doing whatever he told them to do, but he's spent most of it holed up in his room. Maybe he forgot about them? It's been so quiet in the lair he was probably taking advantage of it.

Well, I'm sick of all this silence! It's so boring having to tip-toe around! If Raph and Leo haven't fixed things by now, I doubt they ever will. Let them go already. I'm pretty sure their rights are being violated by holding them for so long.

What do you say, Master Splinter? Have they earned their freedom?

_Perhaps that would be wise. Come, my sons. We will all go._

…that was some easy convincing. Heh. Must be my persuasive charm.

Come on, Donnie! Let's go see our bros!

Hmmm…I can't hear Raph or Leo anymore so that's got to be a good sign, right?

Let's see what's behind door number one!

...hey, where'd they go? They're supposed to be in here! Did they sneak out while the three of us where in the kit-…?

D'aaaawww! Look at them all snuggled up together and sleeping! It's too adorable! I can't handle it!

_Michelangelo, hush! Let them have their rest. We will have a family meeting later._

Okay, okay…just give me one second…

_Mikey, what are you doing with your phone?_

Oh, just taking a picture, Don. I want evidence of this moment to use against them the next time they decide to go to war with each other.

Plus, I am so going to tease them about this later! Muahahahaha!


	21. Chapter 21

Unbelievable.

Absolutely unbelievable.

They almost killed each other last night…

…and now they're zonked out on the floor clinging to each other for dear life. Heck, Raph is even snoring a bit. Leo must be really exhausted if he can sleep with that buzzsaw sounding right by his head.

Unbelievable.

Honestly, I was half-expecting to come in here and find them still yelling at each other. I guess they must have finally figured things out or at least gotten all of the fighting out of their systems for the time being. Here's hoping that the peace will last...

_Awwwwww, how cuuuuuuuuute! Look at them all cuddled up together!_

…because the quiet sure won't as long as Mikey's around.

_Michelangelo, hush!_

Uh-oh. The snoring stopped. If Mikey makes anymore noise, he's going to wake Raph up for sure.

_Come, my sons. You do not need to hold watch over your brothers, but you do need to clean up the kitchen please. I am retiring to my room for the evening._

Oh boy, kitchen duty. You can wash the dishes this time, Mike-…

…what do you think you are doing?

_Did you really expect me to not photograph this? This is perfect blackmail material, dude!_

You do know what's going to happen to you if you try to use that against Raph or Leo, right? It's probably going to involve a foot race and cursing plus a lot of pain and screaming on your part.

_That's only if they can catch me and no one can outrun the Battle Nexus Champion!_

Uh-huh. Well, it's your funeral. I am not going to shed a tear for you. Now let's go get the kitchen cleaned up. I have some work in the garage that I'd like to get to tonight…

_Alright…alright…don't get your shell in a bunch…I'm coming._

…I think I have everything I need to fix that instrument panel in the BattleShell. I shouldn't have to make any trips to the junkyard…

_Hey, Donnie?_

Yes, Mikey?

_I told you they were sleeping together._

~End~


End file.
